REVIEW// Hail Hail the Celts are here

Celtic the Musical brought a packed auditorium to their feet on opening night

The Celts were Hailed last night by a packed auditorium at the Millennium Forum for the opening night show of Celtic the Musical.

Following a sold out run at Glasgow’s Pavilion Theatre, Celtic the Musical arrived in Derry promising an ‘emotion-charged journey’ and Bhoy did they deliver.

The auditorium was awash with the green and white hoops, scarfs were in abundance and voices were at the ready to join in with all the old Celtic songs.

The show has the backing and support of Celtic football club with manager Brendan Rodgers calling it ‘fantastic’ and a ‘must see’. Last week I caught up with former Donegal Gaelic Football manager and current Celtic coach Jim McGuinness who was full of praise, and having finally seen the show myself, it was easy to see why.

The story of Celtic the Musical centres around the memories of the Quinn’s, a proud Celtic-supporting family and features all the old classic songs while telling the proud story from Celtic’s formation through its charitable foundations with Brother Walfrid, to what it has become today.

Following a timeline of events, achievements and losses, the show uses theatre and song together with video footage to achieve the ‘emotion-charged journey’ that was promised.

The story starts with the scattering of grandad Quinn’s ashes on the hallowed turf of Celtic Park, with grandson Paddy and his family reminiscing about the stories that he once told about his beloved Celts. Something that most families can resonate with, a grandfather full of stories built up over a lifetime.

As if the local audience couldn’t get any more excited, the crowd erupted when Celtic legend Tom Boyd walked on stage with the European Cup held aloft as the Quinn’s spoke about how the club beat Inter Milan in 1967 to lift the cup.

The Millennium Forum became a miniature Celtic Park for the night, the crowd joining in with great passion as the songs rang out through the auditorium with ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and ‘Hail, Hail the Celts are Here’ the obvious favourites.

Celtic the Musical runs until this Saturday 1st October and is a must see show for any devoted football fan. The history of Celtic delivered in a thoroughly entertaining way, with passion and song through absorbing and emotionally charged theatre.